The Unlock Apartheid’s Jails Campaign, initiated by The Africa Fund, fought for the release of detainees and political prisoners in South Africa. This compilation of documents included a letter from Dumisani S. Kumalo, a coordinator of the campaign, as well as various newspaper articles attached by him that detail the success of the campaign on focusing the nation’s attention on South Africa’s prisoners of conscience.
In 1955, the African National Congress (ANC) sent out 50,000 volunteers to various townships and rural areas throughout South Africa to gather “freedom demands” from average people. The ANC was tired of the repressive government and its desire to quell dissent. The demands made by the people of South Africa were synthesized into a document that was adopted later that year and became known as the “Freedom Charter.” This document is significant in that it was the first time in which the people were actively involved in creating their own vision for an alternative society.
“The people shall govern!”
“These freedoms we will fight for, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty.”
On August 23, 1997, five activists were arrested after locking down the Old Executive Office Building to deny Al Gore access to proceed with his U.S.-South Africa deal on pharmaceutical access. ActUP activists argued that his proposed agreement unfairly limits South Africa’s right to produce and import essential drugs at affordable prices. These activists postponed the workday, as officials took hours cutting the activists’ chains. The activists’ goal was to interrupt the workday to distrust the movement on Al Gore’s harmful procedure.
This pamphlet was published by the Communist Party of South Africa in 1985. It explains the benefits and importance of secrecy in revolutions. Additionally, it highlights the steps to set up secret networks, rules when engaging in secret work, surveillance, communication, and failure.
“We have said that secret work helps us overcome the problems created by the enemy. This helps in the vital task of building an underground organisation or secret network. The network must lead the people in the struggle for power. It does not compete with the progressive legal organisations but reinforces them.”